How to care for eggs after collecting them...

[New Beginnings]

I have heard so many stories about people doing different things but I am conflicted now about if I'm doing it all wrong.
I have one friend who washes and puts them in fridge immediately.
Another friend doesn't wash til she eats them and leaves them on counter til she eats them.
My MawMaw cleans them immediately, leaves them on counter for a day or 2 then puts them in fridge.
I've heard others speak of there being a reason you are suppose to leave them on the counter for at least a week before putting them in fridge.

How do yall care for your eggs and why do you choose that way?

 

[pdirt]

I heard that washing in hot water allows bacteria to pass through the shell. Is this true? Is there a special type of detergent used?
I am confused by this too

Every unwashed egg has a protective coating on it called the bloom. This coating protects the inside of the egg from external bacteria, such as from poop on the egg. Washing this coating off is the standard norm in the USA. But the commercial egg producers don't just wash it off, they also sanitize with a bleach solution or something like that. Then the eggs are stored in refrigerated conditions for the remainder of their existence. Because they've been washed, they're vulnerable to contamination, such as salmonella. In contrast, most of Europe does not wash their commercial eggs, they are sold at normal room temperature.

We don't wash our eggs and store them at room temp, which is usually 60-70f but up to 85 in summer. We keep them for up to 2-5 weeks, depending on room temp. Never have any problems. I cook my eggs almost always sunny side up, the yolk very runny. The very rare one time we had a rotten egg I think was a fluke. I've had an occasional rotten commercial egg in the past.

If you do wash your eggs, be sure to put the washed (& sanitized if you're worried) and dried eggs in a clean egg carton that has not stored unwashed eggs.

We eat a lot of eggs and the hassle and potential illness of washing them doesn't seem worth the effort.

Do what ever you feel most comfortable with. Washing or not washing your eggs will NOT automatically make you ill. Regardless of which method you use, just use a good dose if common sense.

 

[pdirt]

I have read quite a bit on the subject of commercial egg washing. One of the reasons behind why it is illegal for commercial egg producers in, say the UK, to wash eggs is it encourages better animal husbandry. Chickens raised well and their health tended to will tend to lay cleaner eggs (less poopy eggs). In the USA, it doesn't matter how much poop gets on each egg because they'll just wash it off. In the UK, poopy eggs are not sold, but it doesn't affect the farms that much because they don't end up with many poopy eggs. And if they did, they would quickly go out of business. I don't recall when it changed, but I know that many years ago not washing eggs was the standard practice also here in the USA.

It's been a long time for us, but we have had some truly nasty poopy eggs in the past. We don't wash these nor eat them. Perhaps I'll cook it up and feed it back to the chickens. Most of our eggs are perfectly clean. Occasionally with a speck or smear of poop; these may or may not get washed before cooking them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I wash mine in hot water to remove any bacteria and poop than refrigerate. Eggs are technically able to be left out at room temperature and remain stable, wash them and you've washed off the protective coating and than they should be refrigerated. They will stay fresher in the refrigerator longer. I personally don't want any chicken yuk in my fridge or sitting on my counter, so that's why I wash.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I don't wash mine until I go to use/eat them. I usually keep a dozen boiled and those stay in the refrigerator; the raw ones may or may not end up in the refrigerator. Usually the dirty ones are the ones that I wash and boil.

 

[Gray Farms]

I wash mine in hot water to remove any bacteria and poop than refrigerate. Eggs are technically able to be left out at room temperature and remain stable, wash them and you've washed off the protective coating and than they should be refrigerated. They will stay fresher in the refrigerator longer. I personally don't want and chicken yuk in my fridge or sitting on my counter, so that's why I wash.

same here

 

[aart]

If they're washed they should be thoroughly washed and dried then go right in the fridge and stay there until used.

 

[Raisingmsdaisy]

I heard that washing in hot water allows bacteria to pass through the shell. Is this true? Is there a special type of detergent used?
I am confused by this too

 

[aart]

I heard that washing in hot water allows bacteria to pass through the shell. Is this true? Is there a special type of detergent used?
I am confused by this too

Always wash in water warmer than the egg, this expands interior contents pushing any surface contamination out of pores of egg.
Washing in water colder than egg, contracts interior contents pulling any surface contamination into pores of egg.
No 'soap' is needed IMO...there are sanitants made for washing eggs tho if you feel the need.

 

[Raisingmsdaisy]

Thank you! That was very helpful. Should they be stored pointy side down or up? #reallydumbquestions